Young people’s participation, progression and transition to higher study and work: a London perspective

Ann Hodgson and Ken Spours Centre for Post-14 Research and Innovation Institute of Education

www.ioe.ac.uk Context 14+ participation, progression and transition (14+ PPT)

• The importance of 14+ PPT in the current economic and policy context

• Questions regarding 14+ PPT ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors:

- RPA and its effects

- An accessible and motivational curriculum and assessment system?

- Collaboration between providers to offer a wide range of provision?

- High quality and impartial CEIAG?

- Funding support for student participation?

- Access to higher education and good returns for learning?

- Availability of apprenticeships?

- Employment opportunities for young people? London and 14+ PPT

- Wealthy, dynamic but polarised socially, economically and in terms of educational performance

- Generally doing well in terms of education participation and performance but several significant challenges:

  - continued borough and intra-borough variability of performance at Key Stage 4
  - dip in performance at 17+ - problems of retention and attainment in AS/A Level
  - lack of expansion of vocational provision post-16
  - low apprenticeship involvement by 16-18 year olds despite their recent growth
  - problematic labour market access for young Londoners Percentage of London households in poverty 2007/8

Map 1: Percentage of households in poverty¹, MSOA, 2007/08

% of households in poverty

- 34.8 to 66.1 (197)

- 27.2 to 34.8 (197)

- 21.5 to 27.2 (193)

- 16.2 to 21.5 (199)

- 8 to 16.2 (197) GCSE performance and poverty indicators

- Students with 5 A\*-C grades at GCSE inc English and maths, 2011

- LSOAs in bottom fifth, 2010 Employment rate in London Curriculum, performance and provision Curriculum performance and provision – general education

• Advances in GCSE attainment in recent years but issues of performance in boroughs with low and high deprivation

• Performance at 17+ – QCDA cumulative A Level points score - London 690 compared to 721 nationally – Only 8 London boroughs performed above the national average and inter-borough variation - 570 points in Greenwich to 866 points in Sutton – Higher A Level failure rates in London (5% compared with 3% nationally) and particularly at AS Level (18% compared with 13% nationally)

## GCSE performance by level of borough deprivation

| Qualifications achieved | Level of borough deprivation | |-------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------| | | Low deprivation | High deprivation | | GCSE & equivalent (Level 2) | 78% | 77% | | GCSE including maths and English (Level 2+) | 70% | 57% | | English Baccalaureate entry rate 2010/11 | 30% | 15% | A Level scores per student – London boroughs 2011 Curriculum performance and provision – vocational education

• By aged 19 London above the national average in terms of Level 3 attainment (in 2009/10 56% compared with 52% nationally)

• Positive role of broad vocational qualifications at 18 and 19 nationally and in London

• ‘Poverty penalty’ attainment gap 25 points at Level 3, but only 3 points in vocational provision

• Problem of static participation in vocational qualifications and FE places

• Relatively minor role for apprenticeships in London despite recent growth The role of different qualifications to outcomes at 19 (2004-2009) Performance at 19 in London by receipt of FSM at 16

![Graph showing performance levels at Level 2 and Level 3 for students in receipt of FSM and not in receipt of FSM from 2008 to 2010.](image) Proportion of young people by highest qualification held 2009/10 Curriculum performance & provision Further consultation, action & research

Consultation and action a. What curriculum and support measures can be put in place to improve attainment for all 14-19 year olds in London? b. Should there be a London Curriculum Entitlement for 14-19 year olds?

Further research a. Some boroughs with high levels of students eligible for free schools meals are performing better than others. What are they doing to achieve these outcomes? b. What are the effects of current government policy on curriculum, provision and performance at Key Stage 4 and post-16? CEIAG, progression and destinations CEIAG and work-related learning

- Importance of CEIAG in opening up horizons for action for young people

- New legislation and issue of impartial CEIAG

- CEIAG in post-16 providers, particularly important in current context

- Changes to work-related learning but importance in relation to guidance in school-work transitions

- 7% of adults with 4+ ‘employer contacts’, 5 times less likely to be NEET Progression and destinations

- Progression from Key Stage 4 to post-16 problematic particularly for middle attainers

- 17+ drop-out and issues of progression within the post-16 phase

- Low levels of participation and delayed transitions to the labour market

- High levels of participation in HE but significant borough variability in accessing research intensive universities (12% v. 42%)

- Relatively high graduate unemployment compared nationally Duration of participation in post-16 education based on prior GCSE attainment Level of attainment post-16 based on prior GCSE attainment Young people (16-24 year olds) in employment and learning 2010 The transition to higher education in London Graduate unemployment rates London and national

Unemployment rates for recent graduates (0-2yrs)

- London
- UK
- London average
- UK average

Per cent

Oct-Dec 2006 Oct-Dec 2007 Oct-Dec 2008 Oct-Dec 2009 Oct-Dec 2010 CEIAG, progression & destinations Further consultation, action & research

Consultation and action a. Should there be a pan-London approach to CEIAG and work-related learning and if so, who should be involved, in what and how? b. How can we develop a pan-London progression strategy that particularly strengthens vocational education in the Capital? c. What measures can be taken by social partners to improve employment opportunities for young Londoners?

Further research a. What type of CEIAG and work-related learning provision is there in post-16 providers to support young people into employment and HE at 17 and 18? b. Which types of work-related activities and work experience have the maximum impact on 14+ PPT? c. What are the internal progression/transition patterns of the 16-19+ phase in different parts of London and London as a whole? d. To what extent does poverty play a role in post-16 performance in London and in what ways? Institutional arrangements, partnership and collaboration Institutional arrangements, partnership and collaboration

- Distinctive role of school sixth forms at 16 in London

- Colleges increase their participation share among 17-19 year olds

- London students very mobile (50% travel out of borough)

- Partnership working very variable and fluid across London with examples of strong practice

- Need to rethink the role of partnerships in terms of 14+ PPT in the new economic and policy context 14+ Progression and Transition Boards (14+PTBs)

- Vertically integrated networks of schools, colleges and work-based learning providers, employers and employer organisations, voluntary and community organisations, regenerations agencies, higher education institutions and local authorities.

- PTBs are intended to facilitate:

  - a better balance between education progression within the 14-19 phase and a greater focus on work-based and labour market transitions at 17 and 18+
  - better communication between the key stakeholders
  - shared data on young people’s attainment, progression and destinations and on local and regional labour market opportunities
  - a focus on joint action to improve outcomes for young people and employers and to contribute to the civic life of the area. Institutional arrangements, partnership & collaboration Further consultation, action & research

Consultation and action

a. Is the 14+ Progression and Transition Board suggestion a useful one for London? b. If so, what and who would determine the membership, scope and geographical reach of each 14+ PTB and what would be the role of the YPES Board?

Further research

a. What are the effects of institutional arrangements in London on young people’s 14+ participation, progression and transition? b. What is the impact of current partnership working in the Capital on 14+ participation, progression and transition?